Wagon-lock



(No Model 48heets-Sheet 1. D. A. S'PRAGUE & S. PERRY.

Wagon Look. No. 229,560. Patented July 6,1880.

wEssEs Hens, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASWNGTON. n C.

(No Model.) 4-Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. A. SPRAGU'E & S. PERRY Wagon Look.

Patented July 6,1880.

N. PETERS, FHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. D.'A. SPRAGUE & S. PERRY. Wagon LookPatented July 6,1880.

@ JUu ATTORNEY INVEN 0R5 Law NESSES W ".FETEns PHOTO-Lm-IOGRAPHER,WASHINGION, 0.0..

(No Model.) I 4 Sheath-Sheet 4. D. A.SPRAGUE & S. PERRY.

O 8 8 6 y u I d e t n e t .a .KP 0 O L n 0 g a W O 6 9 2 2 m N TIE:

I VENTORS ATTORNEY WITNESSES N. PEI'ERS, PHORLUTNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, DC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEW YORK.

DANIEL A. SPRAGUE, OF POLAND, AND STUART PERRY, OF NEWPORT,

WAGON-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 229,560, dated July 6,1880. Application filed April 2, 1880. (N 0 model.)

Locks; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled inthe art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had tothe accompanyin gdrawin gs, which form part of this specification.

Heretofore the front axle has been locked against irregular pivotalmovement as follows: A fifth-wheel is rigidly secured to a reach, whichlatter is likewise rigidly secured to a non-pivotal rear axle. Thetongue is connected to the front axle by rods, which latter areconnected to frictional clamps adapted'to embrace the fifth-wheel whenthe axle is turned independently of the tongue. This form of wagonlockrequires a fifth wheel, requires a nonpivotal rear axle, and requiresrigid connections between the rear axle and the fifth-wheel. Ourinvention provides mechanism for locking the front axle againstirregular pivotal movement without calling into requisition any one orall of said several parts necessary in the wagon-look referred to.

The invention consists of the parts and combinations of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front and side perspective view of awagon embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of therunning-gear alone. Fig. 3 is a detail end view of the front axleprovided with the new attachment. Fig. 4 is a plan view of partssufficient to represent one modification of the invention. Fig. 5 is adetail view, showing one end of the axle of said modification in reverseview from the preceding figure. Fig. 6 is a plan view of partssufficient to represent a second modification of the invention. Fig.

7 is a detail view of the construction represented in the first twofigures of the drawings, said detail view showing the parts above thelongitudinally-slotted bearings G, secured to p the front axle, D.

Lock-fastenings E, pivoted to the axle, have forward and rear projectingportions. The forward portions are adapted to engage with the ends ofthe cross-bar when the tongue is drawn out in line with the wagon-body,and the rear portions are rigidly secured to the diagonal reaches F.

The slotted bearings of the cross-bar permit the journals of the latterto have free sliding movement therein forward and back, the extent ofsaid movement being sufficient to permit the cross-bar to be turned soas to free its ends from engagement with the pivotal lockfastenings whenthe tongue is laterally moved to the right or left.

When the team is traveling with the tongue practically in line with thebody of the wagon both ends of the cross-bar are forward of thelock-fastenings, so that the latter bear against the ends of thecross-bar whenever there is a tendency on the part of the axle to turnon its pivotal axis. This engagement of the forward portion of thelock-fastenings with the ends of the cross-bar prevents the axle fromhaving pivotal movement, and hence all serpentine travel of the wheelsand switchin gof the tongue are obviated. When the team turns to theright or left for any purpose the corresponding end of the cross-bar ismoved by the tongue so that it is in rear of the forward portion of thelock-fastening; hence the axle is free to turn on its pivotal axis. Whenthe team resumes travel in line with the body of the wagon the cross-baris again brought parallel with the axle, and the latter is lockedagainst pivotal movement.

The central portion of the forward side of the front axle is providedwith a projecting stud, a, for the lower part or cross-bar of the tongueto strike against. This stud is to prevent the tongue from going backfar enough to unlock the axle when a team is holding back in descendinga hill so long as the tongue is practically in line with the body of thewagon, the ends of the cross-bar going back farther for unlocking as thecross-bar rocks over this stud.

The form of construction shown in the first figurcs of the drawingsrepresents the foregoing improvement as attached to a wagon having apivotal rear axle and diagonal reaches connecting the latter with thefront axle. This is, however, merely one way of applying the invention,and the latter may equally well be applied to any other form of wagon,whether the same has its rear axle rigid or pivoted, and whether it isprovided with one or more diagonal reaches, or has not any diagonalreach.

In wagons having pivotal rear axles it is evident that the same causespreviously described as producing serpentine travel of the front wheelswould produce serpentine travel in case of the hind wheels, unless therear axle were secured against pivotal movement at all times,

when the tongue was practically in line with the body of the wagon.Thediagonal reaches connect the rear axle to the lock-fastenings on thefront axle, so as to lock the rear axle against pivotal movement, underthe same conditions that the front axle is locked.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings is shown one modification of theinvention as applied to a common wagon having a rigid rear axle. Thetongue is connected with an unlockingbar, G, by strips H, pivotallysecured to the latter.

Diagonal bars K on each side of the central reach, K, are provided withslots (1, through which pin 0 connects them to a suitable sup port,which may be adjustably attached to the reach. Each diagonal bar of itsrespective set is jointed at (I to have movement in a horizontal plane.A spring, L, has its extremities respectively connected to each set ofsaid bars, for restoring and holding them to their axlelocking positionwhenever the bar is not pressing against one set or the other, and isparallel, or nearly so, with said axle.

The ends e of the unlocking-bar curve rearwardly and have slidingmovement in grooved bearings M, secured to the axle. The forward part ofeach set of the diagonal bars are pivoted near their ends, respectively,to said beariugs or to the axle, so that in thcirlocking position theyare at right angles, or nearly so, to the grooves in which the curvedends of the unlocking-bar fit.

When the tongue is at right angles to the axle each set of the diagonalbars has its joints in line and acts as a brace on its side of the reachK, to prevent the axle from turning either way on its pivotal axis; butwhen the team moves the tongue to the right or left beyond itsindependent movement, so that the curved end of the unlocking-bar on theside toward which the movementis made has passed through the vacantspace in the grooved hearing of said side, and has pressed against theextremity of one of the diagonal bars at a point forward of its pivot,the middle joint of this set of the bars is forced inwardly, and theaxle, now unlocked. is turned on its pivotal axis by the tongue towardsaid side, the opposite set of diagonal bars not preventing, on account,obviously, of the slot at one of its ends.

It is evident that the slotted ends of what are here called the diagonalbars can be pivoted to the body of the wagon or to a bolster, or to therigid rear axle, and also that by pivoting these bars separately throughtheir slotted ends they may occupy a position at right angles to theaxle when looked, as well as the diagonal one shown.

This modification represents one form of the new devices as applied tothe central reach of a common wagon; and it is evident that said devicescan be connected to other parts of a wagon built with a central reach,as well as to the reach.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown another modification of theinvention, wherein the crossbar of the tongue is connected to rod N bystrips P, pivotally secured to the latter. Said rod has its extremitiespivoted tofastem ings R, which latter are pivoted to the axle. Eachfastening R has its front and rear sides provided with a long and ashort curved recess. The long curved recess f of the front side receivesa roller, 9, journaled on the front end of the corresponding diagonalreach S when the latter is in its extreme forward position. The shortcurved recess h of the front side of the fastening receives said rollery when the corresponding reach S is in itsextreme rearward position. Thelong curved recess lot the rear side of the fastenings receives aroller, m, journaled on the corresponding reach when the latter is inits extreme rearward position. The short curved recess n of the rearside of the fastenings receives said rollermwhen the corresponding reachis in its extreme forward position. Rollers g and m, engaging with thepartitions between these curved recesses, serve to lock the axle againstpivotal movement while the tongue is in line with the body ofthe wagon.When the tongue is laterally moved the pivotal fastenings R are moved,so as to free the rollers g and m from engagement with the par titionsbetween the short and long recesses, and the axle has free movement onits pivoted axis.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with diagonal reaches or bars the forward ends of whichare pivoted to the opposite ends of the forward axle, of a tongueprovided with a cross-bar the opposite ends of which engage eitherdirectly or indireetly with the forward ends of said diagonal I havehereunto set our hands this 18th day of reaches or bars, and serve toimpart movement March, 1880.

to the latter when the tongue is turned, and DANIEL ARNOLD SPRAGUE. tolook the wheels against lateral movement STUART PERRY. 5 should eitherfront wheel meet with any ob- Witnesses:

struction, substantially as set forth. J 0s. T. WOOSTER, In testimonythat we claim the foregoing we GEO. H. THOMAS.

